Tag: mission

Thankfulness as Discipleship

2 Timothy 1:1–9

Thankfulness is often for that which benefits us. We are thankful for homes, jobs, food, family, Jesus. Paul is thankful for Timothy.

Paul’s simple gratefulness for Timothy’s enduring faith is plain to see. Paul does view Timothy as a son, but not as the biological son of a father, but more of the ultimate disciple. Timothy, it seems, represents the ultimate expression and thus inheritor of Paul and Paul’s legacy.

In modern terms, we might use the term mentor or coach. Except on rare occasions, however, neither mentor nor coach adequately explains Paul’s feelings for Timothy.

It is unusual for us to be thankful for those like Timothy in our lives. Some teachers are truly grateful for a few of their students (often outweighed by the others). By and large, though, people who “bring up” others are often only grateful or thankful if those who were “brought up” bring them credit, honor, or glory.

However, often what we don’t realize is how much we learn about ourselves and our knowledge when we “bring up” others. For many years, apprenticeship was the way a person learned. The “master” would be challenged by the apprentice as the apprentice would seek to exceed the master.

In a discipleship relationship, the “elder” will often learn as much as the “young”. If the “elder” is not learning and changing, too, then discipleship has become a system and not the Way of Life. This is how one becomes grateful for those “bought up”, for one learns that with them, one would not have grown as well.

※Reflection※

Do you have a person that “walked” alongside you as an “elder”? Do you have someone you are walking alongside?

※Prayer※

Lord, help us be grateful for those you have brought to us, and make us mindful of the mission you have for us. Amen.

2020-11-17
A Small Project

2 Samuel 12:13–23; Ezra 8:21–23; Mark 2:18–22

Fasting is an age-old spiritual practice that has mostly lost its place in American Evangelical Christianity. Yes, there are some that practice it. Fasting remains strongly part of the Orthodox church and somewhat the Roman Catholic church.

As American Evangelical Christianity has discovered Advent and Lent, fasting has become more prevalent. Fasting was originally fasting from life-giving things like water and food. American fasting is no internet, no Facebook, no chocolate, or other things that are of questionable faith value.

This is not to trivialize what people choose to fast from, but more as a check against our desire to avoid significant self-sacrifice.

You might be wondering why fasting, today? It’s not yet Advent (but it’s coming!), nor is it Lent. We are in a season of fasting right now, and it hasn’t been one of choice.

This all comes to mind as the church as a body struggles with what it means to be the family of God without the building. The building served its purpose and will serve again. It has been like the kitchen of many homes, the focus of family life. The church building has been the focus of church life. Yet, the church “kitchen” is now under serious remodeling.

We are only starting to figure out what exactly the post-remodel might look like, and the plans keep getting revised. First, there was going to be a bar…now there’s not. There was going to be a pantry, but that didn’t work either. The double-sink was coming along…then…

That’s pretty much what it feels like right now.

Most fasts are self-directed, but this one isn’t. That doesn’t mean that it can’t and won’t be used by God to shape us.

One of the biggest take-a-ways is that it really isn’t the building that is the church. It’s been said for a number of years. Yes, the building has been a place at which we have focused on gathering. Now, not only are we being encouraged to be at each other’s homes, we have to have church!

We’re all tired of the “remodeling”. We want it to be over.

※Questions※

1) What is changing about your view of church?

2) How are you living and “doing” church with the kitchen closed?

3) Place is important. How can we make the places we are in now be holy and be church?

※Prayer※

Holy Spirit, guide us through these trying times. May we be stirred to fulfill the mission in whatever new way you call us to. Amen.

2020-10-09
Circle Mission

Acts 16:11–15; Acts 16:25–40

Rob Wegner states that a missionary is an ordinary person who’s equipped to make new disciples in a new context, and that mission isn’t first an activity, it’s an identity. How does that apply to Lydia?

She has three circles. The first circle is the (Gentile) God-fearing circle. The second is the weaving/dying circle. The third circle is her household.

Each of us has a few circles. Which one are we most passionate about? If, for example, you were totally into putting lipstick on pigs and you were friends with a bunch of others about putting lipstick on pigs, then there is your circle.

Lydia’s household circle followed her. Much of that was likely cultural and authority (not that it diminishes anyone’s salvation). Lydia’s God-fearing circle became a focal point, it seems, as it later has become a believers’ hub.

That leaves the last circle…the weaver/dying circle. We don’t know what, if anything, she did to evangelize the members of this circle. As her position remained (owning a household as a woman), she likely continued her trade.

She was a missionary to the weaver/dying circle. We all have a missionary circle. We must figure out what ours is. It’s easy to default to home or church, but those are not, by normal definition, missionary circles.

A family can be a missionary circle, especially if you are the only believer, or if there was a walkout from the faith. Church shouldn’t be a missionary circle, yet often the people who need the grace and love and forgiveness of Jesus the most are in the church.

Being a missionary is not optional. God is missional. Being a child of God means being missional, too. The more we reflect and model Jesus (the missional model), the more being on God’s mission means being a missionary.

The pressure is on! However, you cannot be a successful missionary to everyone, nor every circle. You are not God. Which life circle is God calling you to be a missionary to?

※Questions※

1) If circles are better than rows (OOO>|||) what does this tell you about your life circles?

2) Why is having a missionary focus (like a circle) helpful to being a missionary?

3) Why do you think you are not a missionary?

※Prayer※

Jesus, you came to earth on a mission to reconcile Creation to you. Help us see our mission as the extension and continuation of yours. The same mission that brought us into your loving embrace. Amen.

2020-10-05
Heart Mission

Heart Mission

8 September 2020

2 Chronicles 7:12–18; Matthew 9:1–8; Acts 3:1–10

Prayer times and services have often been called “aches and pains time”. The implication being that we often ask for physical healing for the aches and pains of our bodies. This can be from the innocuous pulled muscle to cancer.

It’s not that we are called to pray for these things, we are. What it does mean is that we often dedicate the most powerful time we have, prayer, to physical ailments. It also means that we act as if we have no place in the healing process unless we are some kind of medical professional.

However, we all have the ministry of reconciliation. Through his death on the cross, Jesus opened the way for us to be reconciled to God. This means that as Jesus-followers we also have a ministry of reconciliation.

There are many kinds of reconciliation. We often keep the type of long-term prejudices and harm in the reconciliation “circle”. Yet, that limits reconciliation.

Reconciliation is also the action of healing hearts and emotions (and ultimately, souls) of individual pains that keep people separated from God. We are not all medical professionals. We are all children on God.

This means that Jesus has given us the task to be healers. Often, this means being healers in the midst of our own pain, fear, and anger. When we seek to heal while still suffering ourselves, we can only rely upon the grace and mercy of God to be healing agents on earth.

When we read the Scriptures with such miraculous healings, we can be overwhelmed with what we cannot do. Jesus said that we would do greater things. We are able to. Medical science can heal the body, but only a human being can heal the heart.

※Prayer※

Lord, may we be your healing agents in the world. Amen.

※Questions※

1) What kind of healing of heart/mind/soul have you needed, either now or previously?

2) What are “types” of reconciliation that you can think of? Which kinds should Jesus-followers be part of?

2020-09-07
I Said, You Say

Exodus 4:10–17; Matthew 25:14–30

Moses is highly regarded in Jewish circles. As the bringer of the Law, his place in their history is unassailable. The first 5 books of the Bible also being attributed to him also helps.

Moses was (and is) viewed as the greatest prophet from a Jewish perspective. Yet, Moses was human. Moses did human things. Moses had human failings.

In today’s passage, we see that Moses really was trying to avoid his calling. Was he trying to avoid the Pharaoh? Maybe. Was he afraid? Probably. Was he “poor” of speech? Probably.

Moses pleads to escape God’s call on him. He didn’t want to be the one. “Please send someone else.”

How many times have you said that about helping others? How about speaking Christ into the lives of others? We often say to ourselves; God will send someone better than me.

God calls us for a time and place, and the call may change as the times and places change. Not only are there times we avoid the call, there are also times we hold onto a call whose time has passed.

There is something to notice. “Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses…” That is not the most comforting thing to hear. Making God angry is generally an unwise move.

Even though God is angry with Moses, God still condescends to him by assigning his brother Aaron as the mouthpiece. The co-mission goes forward.

Even Moses allowed his fear and apprehension to turn him from God’s mission. No one is immune to fear. We just have to find in our hearts the strength the trust God.

※ Prayer ※

Lord, help us to embrace the unique mission and ministry that you have given us. Amen

※ Questions ※

1) What is your current commission from God? If you are not aware of it, set aside some time today to prayerfully ask God what the commission is…and give God the space to answer it.

2) Why do you think that God allows Aaron to speak for Moses even though it was Moses’ commission?

3) Think about what you know about Moses. Put times in Moses’ life against each of the servants noted in the Parable of the Talents. Which life event of Moses to you apply to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd servant?

2020-08-30
Heart of Money; Heart of Mercy

2 Corinthians 8:1–15; 1 Timothy 6:17–19

Generosity is a good thing. A generous heart is a good thing.

Paul encouraged generosity among the churches. The churches would care for one another as they were going through trials (famines, war, etc.). The graciousness of one church gave life to another church.

The churches did not do this to receive; they did it out of generous hearts.

The US churches have been known around the world for their generosity. The US churches were so effective, that they deeply affected US culture to also be generous.

Except, that seems to be waning. Both the US church and the US population is becoming less generous. A lot of that is likely due to fear. However, much of that seems to also be an expectation of reciprocity. In other words, “what do we get out of it?”

The other part of the waning aspect may actually be the most concerning. This is the “washing of hands” part. I’ve given my money to the cause (church, politics, NGO, etc.). I have done my duty, and I can go on living.

We can be generous with money, but not with our hearts. We can be generous with our hearts, but not our money. However, being generous in one area and not in the other, really means that we are generous at all. It is an all or nothing situation.

It sounds harsh. It is. It sounds impossible. It just might be. Or, at least impossible without God.

How generosity actually takes place is not a fixed recipe. The people of Macedonia were generous to the best of their capability. The churches of Corinth may have had a greater capacity to be financially generous.

The people of Macedonia were not absolved of financial generosity. It was to the best of their means and through generous hearts. They prayed. Pray generously!

The people of Corinth may have been capable of giving far more than the people of Macedonia. That didn’t absolve them from praying. It is both/and.

The church, as a whole, is struggling financially. The patterns of the past are broken. Truly, the church is in (or should be in) a hugely transformative process.

While you may be giving as you have, just because a building (even the church building) is closed, doesn’t absolve you of the mission of loving people generously.

What loving a person does to live generously at this time is a little strange. It could be going “old” school and calling people. It could be texting them. It could be emailing them. It could even be sending a letter.

Giving financially is part of the Christian life, and so is living generously in others’ lives. The rhythm of life may mean different forms of generosity at different times. However, a single form of generosity is not living life generously, it is living life monotonously.

※Prayer※

Holy Spirit, give us hearts that beat with your generosity. May we live generously through your power. Amen.

※Questions※

1) How do you give generously? How do you live generously?

2) Why do you think both financial and life generosity are important?

3) Which area do you need to live or give more generously? Why do you say that?

2020-08-09
For and/or In and/or Of

Matthew 13:44–52

Translating the Scriptures is hard work. Whether it be the 1611 King James Bible, The Amplified, the New International Version, the Christian Standard Bible, the nuances of multiple languages (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic) along with cultural overlays, makes it incredibly difficult.

Then you have the literal translations, the “thought” translations, the “concept” translations, and some that try do it all. What the intent is (i.e., transparent, understandable, etc.) also deeply affects the translation. On top of that, there is the motivation behind the translation that also gets into it.

It’s not that anyone is being disingenuous or deceptive, or even that the translation is necessarily false. Often times translations are similar to the 4 Gospels. 4 different writers with similarities, and also differences. Translations often work the same way.

This seems to be a long introduction, but, as you will see, it can make a difference.

In the NRSV, Matthew 13:52 reads, “And he said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’”

In the CEB, Matthew 13:52 reads, “Then he said to them, ‘Therefore, every legal expert who has been trained as a disciple for the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings old and new things out of their treasure chest.’”

In the NIV, Matthew 13:52 reads, “He said to them, ‘Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.’”

At first glance, and even second, or third, these sound pretty similar. There is a key phrase that needs some focus, for it is different in each translation, and may result in completely different understandings.

“…every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven…” (NRSV)

“…every legal expert who has been trained as a disciple for the kingdom of heaven…” (CEB)

“…every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven…” (NIV)

Can you see the difference? While it is a nuance, however, it seems to cover the history of the church in the 20th and the 21st Centuries (so far). The translations above are not in chronological order, for the record.

[NRSV] For generations, people were trained for the Kingdom. They had lots of knowledge. Sunday School really developed into in-depth readings of the Bible (this is a good thing). Lots of head knowledge is great. What is done with it, or not done with it, is something else entirely.

[CEB] The church, as a whole, did begin to realize something was wrong, for we had lost the concept of discipleship. The church began to recover the concept of discipleship but had not quite let loose the reins of knowledge.

[NIV] Especially in these times of COVID, there are many conversations of what it means to be a disciple of Christ, without the boundaries (some say limitations) of the building that was so central to church life. The concept of only pouring knowledge into people doesn’t work. They need to be on the mission for the Kingdom. They need to be disciples.

Lastly, the Amplified Bible combines all 3 of the thoughts above into 1 massive verse, “He said to them, ‘Therefore every teacher and interpreter of the Sacred Writings who has been instructed about and trained for the kingdom of heaven and has become a disciple is like a householder who brings forth out of his storehouse treasure that is new and [treasure that is] old [the fresh as well as the familiar].’”

Before anyone thinks that these are all in conflict, that really isn’t the case. The nuances of Greek are deep. It is definitely an understanding of what the Greek means. This verse, like many, are open to multiple equally valid interpretations. Besides, we have plenty of our own translation issues even when it comes to English-to-English.

※Prayer※

Lord, your 12 disciples asked you to teach them to prayer. We ask that you teach us to be your disciples. Amen.

※Questions※

1) What is your preferred translation? Why?

2) In what ways do you see the differences above as concerning or interesting?

3) How does having different voices (translations) helps us to understand God better?

For an overview, here is the Church of the Nazarene’s stance on the Scriptures:

We believe in the plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, by which we understand the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, given by divine inspiration, inerrantly revealing the will of God concerning us in all things necessary to our salvation, so that whatever is not contained therein is not to be enjoined as an article of faith.

Despite the in-joke of the NIV being the Nazarene Institutionalized Version, the denomination does not hold a particular translation as a standard. Being an international denomination, doing so would diminish our brothers and sisters in Christ who do not use an English translation.

2020-07-29
Why Speak So?

Numbers 12:4–9; Matthew 13:10–17; Luke 18:31–34

There is an ongoing tension between the mysteries of God and the revelations of God. There are many people that struggle with God because it seems so much is hidden.

In the beginning, the church struggled with people who took the saving knowledge of Christ, and then had “secret” revelations that went along with it (usually with a price or other sort of loyalty). The results of some of this, were what are called Gnostic or Heretical “gospels” that are built upon that so-called secret knowledge. To this day, some of these books still cause trouble in the church and mislead those who cannot discern God’s Word.

As we read in Numbers, the three siblings (Aaron, Miriam, Moses) went before God. Aaron and Miriam (Moses’ older siblings) thought that they should be just as important as Moses. Whether it was a pursuit of honor, or even the cultural expectation of being older, it didn’t impress God.

God even differentiated between them (along with later prophets) and Moses by saying that only Moses received straight words. Everyone else would have to deal with riddles, visions, and dreams. In other words, those that received clear answers would be very few, and would have other miraculous acts that accompanied these words.

Even Jesus spoke in parables (riddles). Some scholars have speculated that if Jesus had revealed too much too early, the completion of the mission (the crucifixion and resurrection) would have not occurred. In other words, people’s immediate understanding would have short-circuited the ultimate plan of God…the plan of salvation.

We all understand that what we knew as children was simple (barring a few geniuses). It is the same with our faith. Our faith grows. As it grows, deepens, and matures we begin to truly wrestle with the parables.

It is this wrestling that helps us grow stronger.

Even the 12 that were the closest to Jesus, and even the 3 who were closest, still didn’t get it all the time. And that was without parables. Sometimes, Jesus spoke straightforwardly, and they didn’t get it.

※Prayer※

Lord, we want to understand. Help us when we just want the answers rather than to learn them. Help us to be grace-filled towards those who are learning your Truths. Amen.

※Questions※

1) What was the hardest question you’ve ever had to answer? What made it hard?

2) What things can make a question hard?

3) What do you think of when you hear, “there is no such thing as a dumb question”? How do you think that applies to the parables of Jesus?

2020-07-14
Money Change

Luke 7:36–8:3; Luke 24:1–12 (read online ⧉)

In Jesus’ day, women held a “lesser” societal role. It’s not that they held no role. In Roman culture, women’s roles were actually in somewhat of a cultural disarray as “free” marriage was opposed by Augustus Caesar who wanted a “traditional” male-dominant marriage. Marriage differed between “noble” and “common” people, too.

In Jewish culture, women did have a lesser role, but today rabbinical tradition holds to matrilineal which is estimated to have begun in Jesus’ lifetime! In other words, “the fathers” that were held in apparent esteem, would no longer be the “line”.

This means that in the time of Jesus’ ministry, there was likely a lot of turmoil regarding women’s roles in both Roman and Jewish societies. Having named (versus anonymous) women listed as Jesus’ followers could either have been a cultural shock or no great surprise.

Currently, the general consensus has been that the women’s presence with Jesus would have been a shocking thing. Yet, even the words of the Sadducees and Pharisees don’t mention the women as followers. In the first of today’s verses, the scandalous (“sinner”) woman was pointed to. Jesus was questioned for pardoning her sins. Her presence didn’t seem overly surprising.

As Jesus continues his story of the debtor, the gender is irrelevant to God’s grace and mercy. We go from hair being used to wipe feet, a parable of the debtors (money), then the jump to the financing of the mission of Jesus. We learn that women appeared to be the financial backers (or at least the mentioned ones) of the mission. Judas Iscariot may have “held” the purse strings (John 12:6), but he obviously was not the fundraiser.

These women had all had (apparently) miraculous healing encounters with Jesus, so they supported Jesus’ ministry. Joanna is culturally the most interesting, as her husband was Herod’s household manager. In some respects, her presence may have caused some to be more hesitant when it came to dealing with Jesus, for who knew what Joanna could have had happen. Perhaps not in reality, but people will invent large stories in their fear, to justify their inaction.

According to Luke, Mary Magdalene and Joanna were two of the women (Mary at the grave of Jesus on the Day of Resurrection. That these two women showed up, which means that they viewed Jesus as family, for they were taking on the role of family caring for the dead.

The transformation of these 2 women, in particular, is a good lesson. Jesus saved them. They responded in gratitude (giving) and following (discipleship). Then they became family (possibly sanctification). What their role was after that is, sadly, unclear. It may not matter in the end. That they allowed Jesus to continue to upend their life is what matters.

※Prayer※

God of our transformation, help us to have hearts of peace as you upend our lives. May our lives be continually transformed so that they can display your light. Amen.

※Questions※

1) Other than COVID-19 itself and the general upending of all our lives, what is the biggest thing being challenged and changed in your life?

2) How have you experienced the Holy Spirit initiate, transform, and sustain life change?

2020-06-25
Ready! Set!

Luke 5:1–11; Luke 6:12–16; Luke 9:1–6; Luke 9:28–36; Luke 24:44-49; Acts 2:14 (read online ⧉)

What’s your 6-month plan? What’s your 12-month plan? What’s your 3-year plan? What’s your 10-year plan?

Some variation of this question is often asked of high school students, college students, recent graduates, job interviewees. In this particular time of COVID-19, it seems a little far-fetched to even make a plan.

Depending on your personality and training/learning, you may have a plan laid out for even 10- or 20-years. Others look at their past life and the future, and say why bother? Who knows what the next monkey-wrench will be.

Businesses have begun to learn, thanks to the start-up culture, that rigid plans are deadly. There is a term for it, agile. Businesses are now called to be agile by their stockholders. It’s a necessity as the next technological disruption is just around the corner. Other disruptions, like COVID-19, are much harder to be agile toward, however, companies that already had some agility were better able to respond.

If you look at the verses from Luke in sequence and ending with Acts, you see a change in plans. Peter is a major focal point as he moves from fisherman, to acquaintance, to follower (i.e., disciple), to inner-circle follower, to faith healer and herald, to an even smaller inner-circle, to transformed (by the Holy Spirit), to preacher and leader. This was not part of Peter’s plan.

At the point we meet Peter, his lifetime plan is fisherman. Three years later he’s the leader (of leaders) of a religious movement! Peter met Jesus, and the plan…it was gone.

It’s not that plans are bad. Jesus even praised planning (Luke 14:28-32). However, we have to be ready and willing to toss out our plans when Jesus calls.

Plans are our way to control our circumstances. This is why we have planning departments. This is even how we have modern agriculture. Planning is good.

Planning still has to yield to Jesus’ call. That’s where we often fail.

There will be many churches, businesses, cities, and even families that will not recover from COVID-19. In many cases, no amount of planning will prevent that. On the other hand, churches (especially) chose to not be agile, because that is not the way we’ve done it before.

Churches chose to die, rather than respond to Jesus Christ’s call for them to be agile in how they performed their mission. It could be, sadly, that they forgot the only mission that they had, “Go and make disciples…baptizing them…teaching them…”

On a personal level, just like an organizational level, we need to be agile. Our plans (as much as we want them to be) cannot be rigid and inflexible.

Whether it was the leaders (it was) or the people (it was) forgoing the mission for the sake of “the plan”, it means that “the plan” became the mission, and Jesus became a mascot.

※Prayer※

Lord, give us your plans. Help us to release our plans. May we be the salt of the earth that you have called us to be. Amen.

※Questions※

1) What would be your response if God were to turn your plans upside down? What in your current life would you be willing to give up to follow God’s plan?

2) What are your plans right now? If you have none, why not? Should you? If you do have plans when was your last time to renew/refresh it?

3) Why do you think churches have a hard time changing plans?

2020-06-17